self-annihilation can be sufficient to accompany our approaches to this
God of holiness, in such high and holy engagements, in whom, when God
looks out of Himself, He can behold nothing besides our creatureship, of
our own, but that which His soul hates! "Let us therefore have grace,
whereby we may serve God acceptably," in this so excellent an ordinance,
"with reverence and godly fear; for our God is a consuming fire." The
acceptable serving of God, is with reverence and godly fear. The Lord
teach us to bring fear, that so we may find acceptation.

Again, _Thirdly_, to that end, labour to approve yourselves to God in
this service, in the uprightness and sincerity of your hearts. The want
of this, God lays oft to the charge of the Israelites, as in other
duties, so especially in this, which is now before us, "They lied to Him
with their tongues: for their heart was not right with Him; neither were
they stedfast in His covenant." And this stood between them and their
acceptance: God tells the prophet Ezekiel as much; "Son of man, these
men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put the stumbling-block
of their iniquity before their face; should I be inquired of at all by
them?" They come with their hearts full of their lusts; so many lusts,
so many idols; and for this God refuseth to be inquired of by them:
"should I be inquired of?" is as much as, "I will not be inquired of."
It is a denial with disdain; "should I?" Or, if they be so impudent to
inquire, He will not answer; or if He give them an answer, it shall be a
cold one; He will give them their answer at the door; better none; "I
will answer them according to the multitude of their idols," _i.e._
according to the merit of their idolatry: they bring the matter of their
own damnation with them, and they shall carry away nothing else from Me,
but the answer or obsignation of that damnation. Oh! it is a dangerous
thing, to bring the love of any sin with us to the ordinances of God,
"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer."
And so may we say to our own souls; if I regard iniquity, the Lord will
not accept my person, He will not regard my covenant. If God see
anything lie nearer our hearts than Himself, He will scorn us, and our
services. If, therefore, you would be accepted, "out with your idols;"
cast out the love of sin, out of your hearts; and be upright with your
God in this holy undertaking. It is the main qualification in the text